清管器收发筒和汇管按照中国和美国的输气管道规范定义,应属于输气管道工程管道附件或管道系统组件,可称之为站场设备,其功能为输气管道清管和站场天然气介质分输。但长期以来部分地方或单位存在将这两类设备按压力容器设计和监管的问题,给这两类设备长期平稳安全运行带来了安全风险。从中国和美国对输气管道和压力容器相关定义、规范标准编制历史回顾与启示、站场设备监管与技术上存在的问题、输气管道及站场设备与压力容器技术上的主要区别等角度进行较全面的对比分析研究。研究结果显示,输气管道及站场设备与压力容器在功能、规范标准、环境条件、强度安全理念、强度和韧性要求等方面存在重大技术差别,论证了清管器收发筒和汇管属于站场设备而非压力容器,应完全按照输气管道规范进行设计,才能排除其安全风险。分析了出现这类问题的原因,提出判定压力容器归类应同时具备定义和功能两个条件。最后对清管器收发筒和汇管设计与制造中应注意的技术问题提出了意见。

According to the definition of Chinese and American gas pipeline codes and standards, the pig launcher, receiver and pipeline manifold shall be classified as pipeline fittings or piping system components of gas pipeline engineering projects, which are referred to as station equipment in this paper. These facilities are provided for the pigging or scraping of gas pipelines and for the distribution of different phases of natural gas at gathering stations. However, for a long time, these two types of equipment have been inappropriately designed and regulated as pressure vessels in some places or operating units, bringing potential safety risks to the long-term stable and safe operation of these two types of equipment. This paper provides a comprehensive comparison and analysis for the definitions of gas transmission pipeline and pressure vessel in China and the U.S., and a review and insight into the history of the preparation of codes and standards, existing gathering station equipment supervision and technical issues, and also the major technical differences between gas transmission pipeline, station equipment and pressure vessels. Based on the major technical differences between gas pipelines, station equipment and pressure vessels in terms of function, codes and standards, environmental conditions, safety concept on strength, strength and toughness requirements, this research concluded that the pig launcher, receiver and pipeline manifold belong to the gas pipeline gathering station equipment instead of pressure vessel, and should therefore be designed in full accordance with the gas pipeline codes and standards, to prevent any potential safety risks arising from previous practice of treating them as pressure vessels.In addition to analyzing the causes for above issues, this paper proposes two conditions used to determine the classification of pressure vessels, namely their definition and function. Finally, recommendations are given on the technical issues to take note of in the design and fabrication of pig launcher, receivers and pipeline manifolds.